Pages

Monday, December 9, 2013

Phytates: Antinutrient or Essential Nutrient?

'Paleo' and low-carbohydrate diet advocates often claim that humans
can't obtain adequate nutrition from a plant-based diet because plants
have too many so-called antinutrients. For example, in their paper "Man
The Fat Hunter" Ben-Dor et al write:

"Nuts, or other high-quality foods of decent size appear only
seasonally above ground in the savanna and such is the case in the
Levant, too. But not only are they seasonal, they also require
laborious collection and most of them contain phytic acid [phytate]
that inhibits the absorption of contained minerals. These foods also
contain anti-nutrients and toxins such as trypsin, amylase and protease
inhibitors as well as tannins, oxalate, and alkaloids the elimination
of which can only be achieved (sometimes only partially) by
pre-consumption processing like drying, soaking, sprouting, pounding,
roasting, baking, boiling and fermentation."

"Whether any of the so-called anti-nutrients has any harmful effects
in humans depends entirely on whether humans have specific metabolic
adaptations to these compounds."

In Powered By Plants: Natural Selection & Human NutritionI
have a section devoted to one of these "antinutrients": tannins.
Animals naturally adapted to plant-based diets produce salivary
proline-rich proteins, which neutralize the anti-nutritive effects of
tannins. About 70% of the proteins in human saliva consist of
proline-rich proteins. Moreover, humans seem to have a 'taste' or
preference for tannin-rich foods such as tea, herbs, spices, chocolate,
beer, and smoked foods. Thus we have clear evidence that humans have an
evolved adaptation to tannins, which negates their claimed antinutrient
effects.

Most Published Research Findings Are FALSE

In the August 2005 publication of the online PLOS, John Ioannidis thoroughly explained "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False." He showed that "Simulations show that for most study designs and settings, it is more likely for a research claim to be false than true. Moreover, for many current scientific fields, claimed research findings may often be simply accurate measures of the prevailing bias."

I don't remember when I first read his paper (probably no later than 2010), but I do know that I didn't begin to take him very seriously until about February 2017. Up until then, I thought that I could discover the truth about diet, nutrition and health by sorting through and analyzing published diet and nutrition research, which to say the least presents contradictory findings from different camps with different biases.

In late 2016, after more than 5 years eating an apparently nutrient-dense, high protein vegan diet, I had a blood test that showed that I had significantly low levels of globulin and phosphorus, indicating that I was likely not getting adequate protein or phosphorus from that diet.

Since then, I have worked on ridding myself of the belief that published diet and nutrition "science" or research is credible by virtue of its publication. I have worked on switching to relying on my own direct experience and senses of need, preference, taste, and satisfaction to guide my food choices. I am hoping to help others do the same.

If I could relay only one message from this point forward it would be: DON'T PUT YOUR FAITH IN SCIENCE AND DON'T RELY ON AUTHORITIES. BECOME SELF-RELIANT AND AUTONOMOUS.

Disclaimer

At one time I used this blog to explore and support the theory and practice of modernized, highly animal-based paleo and low-carb diets.

As I evolved, I became a paleo-diet heretic, and this blog became an exploration and presentation of the evidence values that support the practice of a whole foods plant-based diet.

Everything changes, and my experience, knowledge and understanding are no exception. In short, I have found the weaknesses and faults in plant-based ideology and practice as well.

I have tried to digest and assimilate the apparently conflicting information coming from the opposite ends of the diet debates (meat-based and high-fat vs. plant-based high-carbohydrate).

I have incorporated that new information into my world view and perspective and in the process revealed and corrected my errors when necessary.

The Chinese sage Chuang Tzu observed: "Tao is obscured when men understand only one pair of opposites, or concentrate only on a partial aspect of being. Then clear expression also becomes muddled by mere wordplay, affirming this one aspect and denying all the rest. The pivot of Tao passes through the center where all affirmations and denials converge. He who grasps the pivot is at the still-point from which all movements and oppositions can be seen in their right relationship... Abandoning all thought of imposing a limit or taking sides, he rests in direct intuition. "

Through understanding and experimenting with the dietary opposites, in late February 2017 I came to an understanding of the still-point between the extremes and the role of "intuition" from one's True Nature in solving the apparent dilemma.

About Me

I am a member of MENSA who has not always made smart choices. I have a master's degree in philosophy, and do my best to pursue truth and virtue. I have made mistakes in public, and have not been afraid to admit it. I believe that if I'm not making mistakes, I'm not learning or growing or living fully. Like Thoreau, I believe that "life is an experiment to a great extent untried," and that a philosopher should show by example a better way of life, not just spout doctrines and arguments. I value freedom and abhor slavery. I have a master's degree in Oriental medicine and the course work equivalent of a bachelor's degree in nutrition. I seek health, fitness, and longevity through self-discipline in physical training and food. In short, I practice macrobiotics: philosophy, freedom, fitness, and food. Hopefully others can learn from my successes and my mistakes.